


Second Chance

by ShioriTsumi



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: College AU, Gen, M/M, that good old fashioned human au feel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:00:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23991928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShioriTsumi/pseuds/ShioriTsumi
Summary: Koztantin Virgil Morozka, "Logan" Liam O'Ganahan, Roman Rodriguez, and "Patton" Patrick Onswick are four men from different walks of life who all felt drawn to one another and became friends against all odds in between college classes. Though their personalities couldn't be more different, when they're together, things just feel...right. But could that be all it is? Then one day, Patton arrives home to receive a bizarre gift from his young son Thomas-a picture of five men very much like the five of them, sharing a conversation like he says they "used to do all the time, before". Except Thomas has never met any of these men aside from his father, and these conversations have never happened. Have they?
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16





	Second Chance

“ _what's up beautiful people!””-came to your house and said they would-””-a pat on the back for-” Words and colors blend together in a fuzzy mix, the sounds blurring until it becomes little more than pure white noise, pounding in his ears, in his head, everything is throbbing and hurting, like something he needs to remember but can't recall. What is this feeling? What is this place? Who are these people? Whose voices are these? And why does it feel like home?_

“Patton?” He stirs barely, and then a hand gently shakes his shoulder, “Patton, wake up.” Patton cracks his eyes open to a closeup of the library table, glancing up into mismatched green and purple eyes gazing down at him in concern. “You totally zonked out dere....” Koztanin's accent came on thicker than usual, and Patton pulled himself up into a sitting position quickly. He'd worried his poor dark friend, hadn't he?

“I **told** you he was okay,” groaned Roman from across the table, buried in a textbook of his own, “he was just taking a quick nap-he's got more responsibilities than the rest of us, and college textbooks are their own lullabies.” The concern on Koztantin's face faded quickly into irritated amusement and he shoved his hands into the pockets of his purple hoodie, “what?”

“Look, it's only a lullaby if you aren't interested in it. Seriously, Roman, switch to an arts degree-you're wasting yourself in sports nutrition.” The brunette waved him off, and Koztantin scoffed, “I'm trying to help, asshole.”

“Yeah, that's the attitude I want in a therapist,” Roman cut in, turning a page perhaps a little too forcefully and immediately recoiling. “-ah! Damn...” Patton blinked, and searched his pockets.

“Papercut, Roman?” Success! He produced a few small bandaids from his pocket, holding them up and grinning as the man's face lit up at the cartoon characters there, “ponies, puppies, or cars?” Roman enthusiastically pointed to the bandaid with the ponies and Patton chuckled gently before unwrapping it.

From the corner of the room, Patton could hear Logan stirring. He made an odd sound, like a cough that didn't produce. “If I may-our study session does not seem to be aiding anyone at the moment. Perhaps we have reached the maximum time effect for any impact on our progression in class.” Koztanin rocked back and forth on his heels, looking everywhere but at Logan, and the man cut into his thoughts, “do **not** give me that, Morozka. You have not looked at your text book in thirteen minutes, Roman has been on the same page for ten minutes and promptly injured himself simply turning a page, and Patton fell asleep.” Patton pouted and attempted to argue, but Logan overrode him, “you are exhausted, Patton. Go home.”

“But-I wanted to spend more time with you guys!” Their majors were all so different, their lives so different, they hardly got to spend any time together on a class day outside of their regular study sessions. To be honest, even Patton didn't understand why they were friends sometimes, but when they met to study or just shoot the breeze...everything felt....right. Like they were supposed to be together.

“No, he's right, Pat-besides, you have someone waiting for you at home, right?” The gazes were directed at Patton as he wrapped a brightly colored strip about Roman's finger and he squirmed under it. “Look, w-...we're cool with stopping here. We can still hang out tomorrow. And I think we're all free on...Friday? After my test, I think? I'll...need something to help decompress from that, anyways.”

“Go home, Patton,” Logan repeated. He didn't look up from his textbook-he was good at multitasking like that. His focus was almost inhuman sometimes, Patton kind of envied it. They stared at him for a long moment before Patton finally heaved a heavy sigh and slammed his textbook shut, scooting his chair back away from the table. He saw some tension leave his friends' shoulders as he finally surrendered. “Have a nice night, Patton, see you tomorrow.”

“You, too, Logan,” Patton sighed, gathering his things together. Roman cautiously closed his book and traced the spine for a moment, fidgeting. Koztantin turned a critical glare to him, but the man either didn't notice or didn't care.

“Hey, Patton-...” And then Roman stopped himself. Everything seemed to just pause ever so briefly, as Roman searched his own words. Koztantin shook his head. “....nothing, just, uh....tell Thomas I said hi, okay? I'd love to meet the kiddo in person one of these days.”

“Bring him to the meet-up on Friday, okay. We'll make it a family affair.”

“I do not think you know what a family affair is, Morozka.”

“I do! Do you?”

“Are...are you implying there is something I do not know?”

“Do you know what love is?”

“....Roman, that is completely irrelevant!”

Patton laughed, “later, guys-see you tomorrow!” He left the campus library with a wide smile on his face and a full bag over his shoulder. He couldn't say what had drawn the four men together, but he wouldn't trade his time with those goofy weirdoes for the world. Things just felt better these days. And then he got to go home to one of the actual best boys in the whole world.

He attempted to sneak into the house but he found Janus leaning against the wall in the front hall, golden-brown eyes narrowed in a smug 'I caught you' look. They shared a laugh, “Welcome home, Patton. How was class? Your study sessions are usually longer.”

“Aah, I fell asleep, so embarrassing. I hope Thomas hasn't been any problems here.” Patton peered past Janus into the living room, where a small toddler sat deep in thought with a crayon stuck in his mouth. “Oh, so you guys drew things today?”

“He's a future Picasso in the making,” Janus chuckled, a gloved hand resting on a scaly cheek, “by the way, today he...made a big piece. Well, he thinks it's big, at least. He really wanted you to see it, it's got a whole story to it. Such a creative boy you have.”

Patton set his bag down gingerly to one side, “do you think? What kind of picture did he do?” The man in yellow didn't respond quickly, but he wasn't really surprised. He'd known Janus for years, and the man had never been exactly forthcoming with details when he thought it would be more entertaining not to. “Ah, one of those types of stories and pictures again, then. Thanks for not spoiling the surprise. I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then? Would you like me to pay now or-”

“Patton, we're friends,” Janus held up a hand to cut him off, “I keep telling you it's no problem. And besides, today was....enlightening. You have a....very special boy.” He smirked, “remember to humor him, no matter how odd the story may sound, okay?” Patton stared at him. “Remember when you introduced me to him, and he apologized for calling me an evil snake?”

“.....because of your condition? I don't...”

“Ah, if you don't remember, it's fine. Just don't disregard everything Thomas says today, that's all. It may prove...interesting.” He pulled his phone from his coat, staring at the screen briefly, “I just got a text from my secretary. He says there's a 'combative' client in the office, so I should probably go before he does something stupid.”

“Have you considered getting a less violent secretary?”

“I would, but he's an old friend, and he keeps clients in line pretty well.” Janus shrugged, “I should probably take the mace from him at some point, though. Might scare prospective clients to see it on the wall.” He tucked his phone away, and glanced back towards the small boy, “and it doesn't make for a safe place for children to visit, really.”

“So I get to meet this mysterious secretary of yours eventually, then? I'm so hurt you have friends other than me,” Patton faked a whine, and received a gentle punch to the arm, “aw, you'we gonna hurt my feewings, Janus....”

“I **have** a life outside of you, you dork. You'll meet him eventually, I promise. Just not today. For today, just spend time with a certain someone you already know, why don't you?” Janus patted his shoulder and with a wave, was out the door.

Patton sighed and turned back towards the living room. Thomas was still deep in thought, staring at the crayon drawing in front of him, one end of a waxy crayon stuck into his mouth. The way the light fell from the window onto the paper revealed a wide variety of familiar colors, though he wasn't entirely certain why- _“-should have gone full rainbow if you ask me-”_ ...wait. What? He took a deep breath and padded into the living room behind Thomas cautiously, “hey, kiddo-you have fun today? Uncle Janus said you had a really important picture to show me.”

“Daddy!” Thomas turned with a happy squeal, “You're home! Was school good?” Patton crouched down just in time to receive a giddy bundle of squirming toddler, “Unca Janus said school is hard and you gotsta read a bunch!”

“Oh, I do, kiddo, but it's actually tons of fun. Once you learn to read, you'll see how much fun it is, too.” Thomas frowned, “I promise, it's super fun. Really.”

“Oh! Daddy, that's right!” He pulled back and waddled off, “the picture!” He waddled over to the couch, leaving behind his work in progress. Patton peered at it curiously-Janus was wearing dark clothes and a bowler hat, his face half covered in scales. The first time he'd introduced his son to him, the boy had referred to him as an 'evil snake', of some sort-he'd forgotten to try and explain Janus's ichthyosis ahead of time to the boy, so he supposed he shouldn't have been as surprised as he was that Thomas would see the scaly skin and think of the man as a snake of some kind. Evil was a bit far, but snake wasn't too beyond the realms of believability. “Daddy, I'm not done with that one!”

“Oh, sorry, kiddo,” he chuckled, “which one do you wanna show me?”

“This one!” A colorful piece of paper was shoved into Patton's hands abruptly. He peered at the page curiously-he recognized his own face and glasses on the page, and a cardigan draped about his shoulders he liked to wear around Easter. But also in the picture was a taller Thomas, and....Logan? And Roman, in some kind of...Disney prince outfit, almost. Koztantin was even sort of tucked into a corner, complete with the bags under his eyes and that one custom hoodie he showed up to class in. Patton was fairly certain his son had never met his friends before. “See? It's us!”

He glanced up at his son, “....us? You know these people, kiddo?”

“Yeah! That's Roman, and Logan, and Virgil, and you, and me!” Virgil...he'd heard the name here and there, seen it on some of Koztantin's papers during study time. It was his middle name, he was pretty sure, but Koztantin never went by it-he seemed kind of embarrassed by it, actually. So how...? “Remus and Janus are there, too!” Thomas pointed out a green and yellow figure in each corner and Patton tilted his head. This was odd....but Janus had insisted he hear the boy out. “They used to show up a lot to annoy us.”

“......used to...?” He studied the crayon drawing cautiously, trying to hold his tongue. He didn't even know a Remus. And Janus would never wear so much black in Florida's heat with his condition.

“Yeah, whenever I had a problem, or somethin popped up I needed help with, we'd all stand in the living room an-and we'd talk about it! An' you guys would all help me! An' sometimes Remus and Janus would show up! We used ta do it all the time!”

Patton paled, but smiled widely at his son, “yeah? Those days sure were fun, weren't they, kiddo? Hey, how about you wash up and we'll go get ice cream. I'll just go put this on the fridge for you.” Thomas cheered and ran off full speed down the hall to the bathroom, “don't run, mister! You put another hole in that wall, you're gonna get it, young man!” The boy squeaked an apology and the thunder of feet died down. Patton stared at the picture again with a frown. “.....we used to do this all the time, huh.....?”


End file.
